US Senator Bob Menendez's office said in a press release that the senator has reached a deal with Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to pave the way for senators to vote on 22 joint resolutions on Thursday to block the Trump administration's arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th June, 2019) US Senator Bob Menendez's office said in a press release that the senator has reached a deal with Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to pave the way for senators to vote on 22 joint resolutions on Thursday to block the Trump administration's arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
"Menendez.... reached a unanimous consent agreement with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that will provide for votes tomorrow on his 22 joint resolutions of disapproval to block the Trump administration's unprecedented attempt at approving over $8 billion in arms sales to Saudi and UAE based on a false emergency and without Congressional consent," the release said on Wednesday.
Moreover, the release added that Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman James Risch has agreed to quickly take up the Saudi Arabia False Emergencies Act and the Saudi Arabia Accountability and Yemen Act. These measures seek to prevent irresponsible arms sales to Saudi Arabia and to hold the Saudi government responsible for actions in Yemen, human rights abuses and the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the release explained.
Several US lawmakers have criticized the manner in which the Trump administration has moved forward with the Saudi arms sales, describing them as unprecedented and at odds with longstanding practice and cooperation between Congress and the executive branch.
The United States has an $8.1 billion arms package concluded with Saudi Arabia that includes 120,000 precision-guided bombs, support for Saudi F-15 fighter jets, mortars, anti-tank missiles and .50-caliber rifles.
